2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup
The 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's nationalassociation football teams. It took place in UAE from 7 June to 6 July 2021. FIFA, football's international governing body, selected UAE as host nation, as the country would be celebrating the centenary of its first constitution, and the UAE national football team had successfully retained their football title at the 2020 Summer Olympics. All matches were played in the Emirati capital, Kuala Dubai, the majority at the Al Maktoum Stadium, which was built for the tournament. ☀ Host selection Main articles: UAE 2021 FIFA World Cup bid Qualification See also: 2021 FIFA World Cup qualification The qualification process for the 2021 World Cup has not yet been announced. All FIFA member associations, of which there are currently 211, are eligible to enter qualification. UAE, as hosts, qualified automatically for the tournament. However, UAE is obliged by the AFC to participate in the Asian qualifying stage as the first two rounds also act as qualification for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. If they reach the final stage, their choice on whether to continue with World Cup qualifying is subject to FIFA approval. If the hosts choose not to compete, the next-ranked team will advance instead. For the first time after the initial two tournaments of 1930 and 1934, the World Cup will be hosted by a country whose national team has never played a finals match before. The reigning World Cup champions France will also go through qualifying stages as normal. * CAF (Africa): 4 * AFC (Asia): 5 (not including host nation) * UEFA (Europe): 8 * CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean): 3 * OFC (Oceania): 1 * CONMEBOL (South America): 3 The qualifying draw is scheduled to take place in May 2019. Qualified teams : 1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year. : Venues After being awarded the bid, initially the UAE chose six stadiums to host the tournament. The six stadiums were Zayed Sports City Stadium and Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, and Dubai's Al Ahli Stadium and DSC Stadium. Later, two stadiums in Dubai were dropped due to financial problems and were replaced by Al Maktoum Stadiumand Rashid Stadium, which were also located in Dubai. The eight venues used are Zayed Sports City Stadium, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, and Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, Al Maktoum Stadium and Rashid Stadium in Dubai, and Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah.27 Group stageedit The top two teams of each group, along with the best four third-placed teams, advance to the round of 16. All times are local, CAT (UTC+2). Tiebreakersedit Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 74):28 # Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams; # Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams; # Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams; # If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams; # Goal difference in all group matches; # Goals scored in all group matches; # Drawing of lots. Group Aedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group A First match(es) will be played on 21 June 2019. Source: CAF (H) Host. Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Group Bedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group B First match(es) will be played on 22 June 2019. Source: CAF Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi Group Cedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group C First match(es) will be played on 23 June 2019. Source: CAF Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Group Dedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group D First match(es) will be played on 23 June 2019. Source: CAF Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Rashid Stadium, Kuala Dubai Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Group Eedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group E First match(es) will be played on 24 June 2019. Source: CAF Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Group Fedit Main article: 2021 FIFA Zayed World Cup Group F First match(es) will be played on 25 June 2019. Source: CAF Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi Ranking of third-placed teamsedit First match(es) will be played on 21 June 2019. Source: CAF Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Disciplinary points; 5) Drawing of lots.